Chu Qianli enjoyed a few peaceful days.
There was no news from the Xuan King's mansion, and with Liu Jin taking care of Feng Yexuan, he should be fine.
Her current concern was that she might not qualify to participate in the selection for the Xuan King's Consort.
After the painter took her portrait to the palace that day, Chu Qianli had nothing to do. For the first time in a long time, she went shopping by herself.
It seemed that since arriving in this era, she hadn't had a proper rest.
Every day, she was either pushed along or pulled along.
She had never rested, and no one gave her the chance to.
Today, Chu Qianli went out without bringing anyone, enjoying herself alone on the streets.
She not only ate candied hawthorn but also many snacks she had never even seen before.
The taste was completely different from what the cooks in the mansion made; the street stalls were full of delicacies.
When she was in high spirits, she held a skewer of candied hawthorn in her left hand and a bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts in her right.
Disregarding her image, she walked and ate on the street.
Until she saw a somewhat familiar figure.
Qin Xiao?
She hadn't seen the general since their parting at Phoenix Mountain.
Seeing him walking with a limp, Chu Qianli suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
He had been injured then, his bones shattered, and she had promised to help him heal.
But clearly, after returning to the imperial city, due to too many events, she had completely forgotten about Qin Xiao.
Just as she was about to approach, she heard the man in front of Qin Xiao taunting him: "You're already a cripple, yet you still think of competing for favor with this young master in front of grandfather. Qin Xiao, where do you get the nerve?"
Qin Xiao ignored him and tried to walk past.
But the man stepped forward and blocked his path: "What? Seeing your elder brother like this, are you like a stray dog now?"
"Weren't you very arrogant before, relying on grandfather's affection? By the way, you also have a Xuan King, and you have a deep friendship with him, right? But you're a good-for-nothing now. Do you think that high and mighty Xuan King would still be willing to associate with you?"
The man burst into loud laughter.
The guards behind him, though they dared not disrespect their young master, all wore smiles, watching the spectacle.
Qin Xiao still refused to respond. With his path blocked, he intended to turn and leave.
However, he didn't expect to see Chu Qianli not far behind him when he turned.
He was a little stunned, not expecting to meet her here.
Even less did he expect to be seen by her in such a pathetic state.
"What's wrong? Cripple, you can't even walk fast. Do you really think you're still the third young master of the Qin family? Don't you know you're worthless in your father's eyes?"
Qin Xiao started to walk away.
The eldest young master of the Qin family wanted to chase after him, but two guards behind him gently pulled him back.
"Young Master, this is in public, after all. If the matter gets back, the master will be displeased."
The eldest young master of the Qin family snorted, spat, and then turned to leave.
Before leaving, he taunted again: "You're useless now, and your existence in this world is redundant. If I were him, I'd just hang myself!"
"Hahaha..."
They finally walked away.
"Miss Chu." After they were gone, Qin Xiao came before Chu Qianli, nodded slightly, and smiled, "We meet again."
"It's been a long time." Chu Qianli's gaze fell on his leg.
Before she could say anything, Qin Xiao preempted her: "I have matters to attend to. I'll take my leave now. Miss Chu, be careful while you're out alone."
He cupped his hands, turned, and began to leave with a limp.
After a moment of hesitation, Chu Qianli chased after him: "Qin Xiao, I said I would heal you."
"Is that so?" Qin Xiao looked back at her, his bright, smiling face showing no concern: "I've forgotten. Miss Chu, we'll talk another day..."
"I can heal you." Chu Qianli's voice was soft but firm.
Her eyes were incredibly serious.
For a moment, Qin Xiao felt that she could indeed heal him.
But it was just a fleeting illusion.
He still managed a smile and said, "I'm not as fragile as you think. You don't need to comfort me. I'm quite content like this."
"General Qin, I said I can heal you, and I just want to fulfill my promise."
She had treated him on the battlefield back then.
She had said his leg could be healed, and she should have gone to treat him immediately upon her return.
But she had forgotten about him.
"It's not for you." Chu Qianli walked up to him. "However, I truly have a way to heal you."
Broken bones were not difficult to treat.
"Unless you give up yourself."
Qin Xiao's palms gradually clenched.
"Why would you help me? I am Ye Xuan's friend, and my stance with you..."
"At Phoenix Mountain, I said your leg could be healed, so no matter whose side you are on, in my eyes, you are just a patient."
Chu Qianli stared at his leg: "General Qin, in Tuoxi Village, I found you to be a good person, a good general."
"Since you are not a bad person, there is no reason to refuse help. If you feel uneasy, you can pay me after I heal you."
Qin Xiao didn't care about money at all.
His Qin family was never short of money.
But she kept saying she could heal him. Although he no longer dared to believe it, who could truly accept it?
"Just a couple of days ago, I was even advising Ye Xuan to find another girl..."
He felt it was necessary to make things clear.
"So, Miss Chu, are you still willing to treat me?"
Chu Qianli looked at him, blinked after a while, and smiled: "You... are quite amusing."
Qin Xiao didn't understand what she meant.
Chu Qianli didn't want to explain: "It's me who doesn't want him. If he can find another girl and live a good life, I'd be relieved."
"Is that truly what you think? His Highness the Xuan King is peerlessly handsome, and at least half the girls in the Northern Ming Kingdom want to marry him."
Why was she so indifferent to the Xuan King?
"I'm sorry, I'm not used to discussing my feelings with others."
So, whether it was her true feelings or not, it had nothing to do with him.
"Your leg requires cutting open the flesh, fixing it with steel plates... Do you dare to try?"
What was Qin Xiao afraid of?
His leg was already crippled; it was like treating a dead horse as if it were still alive.
"Don't be discouraged. It's already like this anyway. Trying is no harm. Or perhaps, you don't even have the courage to face another disappointment?"
Qin Xiao looked at her.
Actually, it wasn't that difficult to accept.
It was just that his relationship with her was undeniably awkward.
He stood with Feng Yexuan, but now this young girl was clearly on the opposite side of Feng Yexuan.
He felt that accepting her treatment would be a betrayal of Ye Xuan.
After an unknown amount of time, Qin Xiao finally said, "Can I pay?"
Chu Qianli remained silent for a moment, then smiled: "If you don't pay, who will treat you?"